When the 2010 Winter Olympic Games open tonight in Vancouver, Canada, no less than 14 representatives from the Monterey Institute of International Studies will be at work supporting Olympic activities.

Ever since former Monterey Institute Dean of Translation and Interpretation Wilhelm (Bill) Weber worked as an interpreter at the 1968 Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France, Monterey Institute alumni, faculty and even enrolled students have had a rich history of involvement with both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Institute alumna Maureen Sweeney, who served as head of Language Services and Venue Protocol, reports “I am excited to have such a great group of MIIS alumni and faculty on board. I began working with the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and since then have worked with the Games in Sydney, Salt Lake City, Torino, Beijing, and now Vancouver. At each of these Games we have been fortunate to have multiple Institute graduates providing the highest level of services for the international press, International Olympic Committee (IOC) members, athletes, and dignitaries from around the world.”

Another alumna, 1993 MIIS graduate Jennifer Ullman, has been volunteering at international athletic competitions ever since she served an internship at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. In Vancouver, Ullman will be serving as a member of the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Village team, where she will provide translation and interpretation services, and serve as a host in the Village Resident Centres.

Current Institute student Simone Bonneville is also in Vancouver serving an internship as an escort interpreter for the Games. Assigned to interpret for the team of athletes from Tajikistan, Bonneville will be putting her first year of training at MIIS in consecutive interpreting to good use. She is chronicling her adventures in Vancouver on a blog.